I think half of the battle of getting ducks in your spread is you being properly concealed. I've looked around the various web sites for duck blinds and am considering making my own. The problem I'm seeing with the factory made type is most of the blinds seem either too light (and would move in wind) look shoddily(< is that a word?) constructed or are too small. I would like to make something I can use for two people and a dog on a small boat and/or on land if I don't use a boat. How many of you guys make and use your own boat blinds?

One thing to keep in mind is where you live. If you live in Granada hills, chances are your traveling to hunt. You’re looking at freeway driving maybe the 118, 405 or the 5 just to get out of town. It has to be made strong, to with stand 55mph winds from traveling. I use to live in So Cal. For me to hunt it took hours to get to where we hunted. I had one made out of camo martial, it lasted a few years, but traveling tore it up. Even when it was rolled up. The one I have now is made from electrical conduit, and lightweight aluminum sheets. I made it lightweight, but strong, it with stands all the traveling I can throw at it. I have two 30in doors one on each side, it’s consists of six panels. It takes just minutes to put on and take off. I put it on just before season, and leave it on all season. One thing I love about it doesn’t move in the wind. Also they can’t see you though it, also you can paint any way you want and customize to fit your needs. I hope this helps, good luck next season.

I made my own blind about 7 years ago. It is a scissors type pop up blind made of 1" od sq tube alum. I used the green "german" ,made vynil camo over a nylon netting, but switched 2 years agp to a desert camo netting out of a used Military store on ebay. I sprayed it "golder" color with a bit of light green, as I hunt with it primarily late season when the cattail marshes area "golden" color to the reeds. I use shorter ball type bunges to secure the camo to the frame and them the frame drops down within the gunwales of the boat on top of the seats. It is not made for use except as a baot blind.
It'll tak a bit of engineering and lots of reengineering to make it work just right from my experience. Took over 2 days of bending, welding, sanding cleaning and then several coats of paint on the alum frame.

Two Gsps
You're right, I don't have a top on it. To me that makes it more versatile. Normally hunting puddlers, I place the boat tight up against the shoreline for top cover. For hunting divers I found that a top is not needed. My boat is a 19ft jon boat, my bow is open as well as the stern. I have hooks on my front two panels, as well as on the stern panels I hook canvas to close off both ends. If you go this way keep in mind, do NOT make your sides higher than what you can see over when your driving.

What I like about this set up is, you stay dry from splash and the wind when your crossing sideways to the wind. Also I have lights attached to the inside of my framework, a flip of a switch and the whole inside of the boat is lit up, for loading and for setting out decoys. Also from the legs that come down from the top of the frame work to my floorboards that help stabilize it, I also have two compartments that I store up to 10doz decoys in. They run half way from bow to stern.. Some guys attach brush to the outside to give more of a 3D look. I hope this helps

If you already have a boat fine, but if your looking, my I suggest finding one with a tiller seat and two box seats instead of a middle bench seat. Reason being, you won’t be stepping over that seat all the time. In my boat I can walk straight to the bow, with nothing in my way. Everything from people to gear is along the sides; keep in mind you can customize it to fit your needs. The reasons I have two 30in doors are, I always hunt bow into the wind, and two doors allow that and I only hunt big water, so if I need to get into or out of the boat fast, the doors will allow me to. I’m 6ft 3 – 230lb, with a parka and waders on, you don’t need tight doors. While moving, the canvas comes off the bow also giving me more visibility and a place to exit the boat when I get close to shore.

Not trying to show any disrespect, to those who will buy their boat blinds, there are some fine blinds to be bought. To me it’s an on going process; I’m always changing something to improve it. To build it you’re self, to me that’s cool. There are better blinds than mine out there that you can buy. The feeling you get after killing your first bird, from the boat blind you built. I promise it will put a smile on your face all day long .

870
Does your blind conceal your whole boat or is the bow and stern partialy visable? I'm considering getting the Otter Outdoors Stealth 2000. The blind that they sell for this boat does not fully conceal the bow and the stern. This along with the price they are asking for thier blind makes me consider building one myself. BTW, I appreciate your help you've been giving me with this.Thank you.

On my stern the canvas raps around my motor, closing off the end, it drapes to the water. On my bow, the canvas hangs somewhat, but not to where the wind is a problem. I haven’t seen where it’s flared the birds.